1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to storage enterprise interconnections and more specifically relates to structures to provide a wireless connection between components and subsystems of an enterprise storage architecture
2. Discussion of Related Art
It is generally known in the computing arts that large computing storage enterprises utilize a number of storage related components interconnected with one another and connected to related workstations and server computing nodes. The various connections have traditionally utilized various electrical wired connections and/or optical cable connections. Exemplary of such hard-wired or cabled connections are power connections to supply power from a first component to a second component and information signal cables/wires for exchanging command, status and data signals between a first component and a second component.
In large computing/data enterprises, storage components may include individual storage devices, collections of storage devices housed within a common storage enclosure, collections of storage enclosures aggregated into a storage subsystem, storage controllers, collections of storage controllers operating cooperatively with regard to a storage devices or storage enclosures, power supplies for powering other components, environmental components to sense and control the ambient environment (such as cooling devices and temperature sensors), etc. Examples of individual storage devices may include magnetic or optical disk drives, magnetic or optical tape drives, and other semiconductor-based, volatile, and nonvolatile memory components (such as flash memory devices or so-called “RAM-disks”). Collections of these storage devices may be physically housed with a storage enclosure. Where the storage devices are disk drives, such enclosures containing multiple disk drives are often referred to as just a box of disks (or “JBOD”). Examples of devices for controlling other devices may include a host computing system such as a workstation or a server computing node, a host adapter within such a host system, a storage subsystem, a storage controller within such a storage subsystem, storage networking devices and components (i.e., storage area networks or SAN devices such as switches and routers), or any other device coupled to the storage devices or to storage enclosures.
Typically, the signals exchanged include power signals to provide electrical power for operating storage components and information signals (command, status and data signals) used for controlling operation of the storage components and for exchanging data to be stored in and read from the storage components. Typically, an electrical power wiring harness provides a hard-wired connection to apply power signals from an external source or device to the storage component for purposes of supplying power to the storage devices and enclosures. Most frequently, the electrical power signals so applied are direct current (“DC”) electrical power signals including one or more DC voltage levels used for operating the storage devices and enclosures. In addition, a second signal cable is typically used for exchanging information signals between an external device and the storage devices and enclosures. This second interface cable may utilize any of several well-known interface signal media and protocol standards including, for example, IDE, SCSI, Fibre Channel, serial attached SCSI (“SAS”) and serial AT attachment (“SATA”) signaling standards. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize a wide variety of other well known signaling media and protocols used for exchanging information signals and power signals between storage devices and external device used to control the storage devices and enclosures.
In a simple, single computing node, hard-wire power and information cable harnesses between the external device (i.e., internal to the computing system but external to the storage device) and the storage device provide a relatively simple, inexpensive design that is easily manipulated by a human user or technician. A first cable harness may be used for providing power to one or more storage devices within such a simple, computing node and a separate cable harness may typically be used for coupling information signals within such a host system. However, in larger, more complex storage subsystems that may include tens, hundreds or even thousands of storage devices within one or more storage enclosures, coupled to one or more computing host systems via one or more redundant paths, such hard-wired cable interface techniques are both complex and costly. Complex wiring harnesses and backplanes for exchange of signals are typically utilized and impose a significant cost in the overall storage subsystem. Distribution of such power and information signals within complex storage enterprises therefore presents problems in complexity and cost. Although serial attach standards including optical serial attachments somewhat simplify these issues. However, even simplified serial attach cabling remain costly and complex where tens, hundreds or even thousands of storage devices are provided housed within multiple storage enclosures and coupled to multiple host systems and/or storage network components.
It is evident from the above discussion that an ongoing problem persists in simplifying and reducing cost associated with distributing power and information signals between various storage enterprise components in large complex computing and storage enterprises.